Fire Red, Leaf Green
by A Murmured Past
Summary: Green Hikaru, a young girl from Pallet Town, has just started her Pokémon Journey. As she travels, she must wrack her brain to remember who the mysterious trainers Blue and Yellow are. The Church of Hyne has begun to start in practices that threaten all.
1. Default Chapter

Fire Red and Leaf Green  
  
"Green! GREEN!" The woman stood at the bottom of the stairs, white sundress blowing softly in the breeze that came from an open window behind her. Hands planted on hips, eyes narrowed, she called up again. Violet hair fell to her mid-back, a white bandanna keeping the bangs off her forehead. The woman didn't appear to be old, maybe early thirties.  
  
"Green Hikaru, I am NOT going to tell you again to get OUT OF BED!" And with that, the woman walked back into the kitchen, which just happened to be on room over. Going back to her pancakes, the woman sighed, shook her head, and rolled her eyes.  
  
"That daughter of mine..." She couldn't help but giggle at how stubborn that child was...  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm comin'..." The girl pushed her comforter to the side and yawned loudly, stretching. Her burnt charcoal-grey hair was messy and unkempt. She obviously hadn't slept well. She got up, and made her way into the bathroom, across the hall. Once there, she slipped her nightgown over her head, and wrapped her arms about herself, shivering at the cold. She quickly turned on a hot shower, and stepped in. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as the water flowed over her naked body. After thoroughly soaping her hair, she stepped out of the shower, turned the water off, and wrapped herself in a towel. She hurried into her room. Now that she was fully awake, she was excited to the point that she could simply burst. Hurrying into the large, walk-in closet, she closed the door behind herself, and loud noises could be heard from inside... drawers being jerked out, muttered exclamations of "This won't do", "Nope," and "Argh, why do I even HAVE this?". After several minutes had passed, a loud "YES! Perfect," was heard.   
  
She bounded down the steps, and stood in the doorway to the kitchen. Her mom looked at her and gasped in wonder. There stood her daughter, clad in a red skirt, light blue sleeveless shirt, and light blue socks halfway pushed down into white shoes, with a red stripe over them. A white sun hat, with half a Pokéball - design, of course - coming up over the bridge. Across her shoulder, she'd slung a yellow shoulder bag. She twirled once, smiling.  
  
"How do I look, mom?" She asked cheerily. Her hair, of course, had been combed to perfection.  
  
"Simply beautiful. And good outfit to start your Pokémon journey in." Her mom sighed, eyes tearing up, and made her way over to Green. Green sighed.  
  
"Mom... it's like I'm never coming back." She tried to smile. But to no avail; her mom started to cry, anyway. Green let her mother take her into a warm, soft hug that a mother always gives her children when they leave. Green hugged her mom back, and then began to walk for the door. She opened, and turned back to smile at her mom.  
  
"Once I win at the Pokémon League later this year, I'll be back!" And with that, she was out the door. Green's mother sighed, and looked at a picture of Green when she was little that hung over the stove. Walking over and running a finger over it, her brow furrowed.  
  
"Just like her father... I only hope that she comes back." And she went back to her cooking...  
  
Green rode her bike down the path, going faster than she probably should have been going. She peddled faster now, eager to get to Professor Oak's lab. After all, she would be getting her first Pokémon from him. It was actually a short ride from her house to Professor Oak's lab, she'd be there in under five minutes. As she rode, she saw various Pokémon in the trees, and the grass near the rode. Nothing spectacular, just the normal Rattata, Pidgey, and even the occasional Spearow. Finally, Professor Oak's was in sight. She smiled, yelled in excitement, and peddled even harder. She was so excited, in fact, that she didn't see the white apricorn in the road, and promptly hit it. Her bike jerked, and she flew forward over the handlebars, and right onto her back. She lay there for a moment, dazed, and then sat up.  
  
"Ow... stupid bike..." She got up, annoyed, and then turned pale. the spokes on the front tire had been mangled! She groaned, and picked up the offending apricorn.  
  
"Stupid little... thing..." She grumbled, and slipped it into her bag. Looks like she'd have to walk the rest o the way. Her back hurt too much to run...  
  
"Professor Oak?" Green knocked on the door. Again. It was the third time she'd done so. She sighed, and then tried the door. It was unlocked. She shrugged, and walked in.  
  
"Helllooo? Professor Oak..." She called twice, but nobody answered. Being thoroughly annoyed, as he knew she'd be coming, Green made her way into the house, and toward his lab. As she got closer, she could hear voices. Three of them, all male. She opened the door quietly and peeked in. She saw Professor Oak and his assistant Tracey, along with a boy she thought she may have recognized. Then it dawned on her who it was.  
  
"Red?! Red Sasuke?!" She opened the door all the way, feet planted firmly apart, hands on her hips, face red. She was FURIOUS. All three turned to look at her.  
  
"Oh! Green! You're here. Good." Professor Oak smiled.  
  
"We were just giving Red his first Pokémon." Tracey elaborated.  
  
"I can see that, thank you." Green muttered, stalking up to red. He smirked, crossing his arms over his chest, and looked her square in the eye, not the least bit intimidated.  
  
"Well well. Look what we have here." Red's voice was silky and smooth, flowing like water. He was obviously quite the charmer.  
  
Red was the same height as Green, but of course dressed differently. He wore a pair of faded blue jeans, and a sleeveless red vest, with a wite collar and zipper. Underneath that was a black T-shirt, and a yellow backpack was held up by both straps, one over each shoulder, of course. He wore a baseball hat, red with a white bill, and a white Pokéball design on the front. His hair was the same burnt charcoal grey as Green's, but no so long. Short, but long enough so that it came down over his ears a bit. His shoes were identical to hers, but black with a red stripe, instead of white. He quirked a brow, putting a finger on her forehead.  
  
"Shouldn't you be at home playing with your dolls?" He asked snootily.  
  
"Shouldn't YOU be at home picking your nose and watching TV?" She asked, grinning. His face turned bright red, and he turned away quickly. She knew she'd hit a nerve.  
  
"Look, I didn't do it on purpose, I just... I had a bad stuffy nose that day!" He yelled.  
  
"NOSE PICKER, NOSE PICKER!" Green burst out laughing.  
  
"Now, now, you two. Quiet down. This is a lab, not a playground." Professor Oak said quietly, putting his hands into the pockets of his lab coat.  
  
"Yeah, choosing your first Pokémon is a serious thing!" Tracey said, getting defensive. Red rolled his eyes, and picked a Pokéball off the table, it had an orange flame design on the upper red half, right above the button. He turned to Green.  
  
"Good luck, Green. You'll need it." And with that, he stalked out of the lab. Green stuck her tongue out at him, then turned to the table where the Pokéballs sat.  
  
"I've thought about it a lot, and I've decided that I'll choose Charmander!" She said happily, looking at Professor Oak. But Tracey just shook his head.  
  
"Sorry, Green, but Red just took Charmander." He said sympathetically.  
  
"How about... Squirtle!" Green said, still happy to get her second choice.  
  
"Eh... Blue came by to get that, earlier..." Professor Oak chuckled sheepishly. Green sighed, and looked at the two Pokéballs left on the table. One had a leaf design on the top, above the button, and the other, a thunderbolt. She thought hard.  
  
"... What's in the Pokéball with the thunderbolt?" She asked, looking up at Professor Oak.  
  
"That's a Pikachu. I just happened to get one from a colleague of mine in Johto, and decided to offer it as a starter today, since I have no other use for it." He explained. Green nodded. a Pikachu. That could be fun! But just as she was reaching for it, she remembered that the closest Gym was Pewter City, and electric attacks would be none too useful there, so she thought better, and grabbed the Pokéball with the leaf design. She was disappointed that she didn't get Charmander, but Bulbasaur wasn't so bad.  
  
"Great. I suppose Yellow'll have to take Pikachu, then." Tracey smiled, handing Green her new Pokédex and five Pokéballs. She bowed to them both.  
  
"Thank you VERY much!" She smiled, and turned to leave.  
  
"Wait, Green. Take this." Professor Oak handed her a piece of paper with a number written on it, to her confusion. Professor Oak smiled and explained that he liked all the new trainers to check in with him every so often, so he knew how they were getting along with their Pokémon.  
  
"I'll be sure to call and let you know how I'm doing!" She called as she ran down the path to the Viridian Forest. She waved, and they waved back from the doorway.  
  
"She has a lot of pep. Like Ash did." Professor Oak said, smiling.  
  
"Yeah, to tell you the truth, she reminds me a lot of Ash." Tracey said, looking up at Professor Oak. Both of them just watched her go, contemplating what adventures she might get into along the way to the Pokémon League... 


	2. Chapter 2

Fire Red and Leaf Green  
  
Green hummed to herself as she walked. She was nearly to the Viridian Forest, and beyond it lay Viridian City. There was a Gym in Viridian City, she knew, but it had a reputation for being much to difficult for beginning trainers. So she'd go to Pewter City first, to challenge the Gym Leader there. But first she had to get more Pokémon! She had been keeping her eye out for Pokémon for some time, but the most she came across were Weedle and Caterpie, even a Wurmple here and there. She really didn't want a bug type, being as how they weren't all that strong. Sighing, she placed her hands behind her head.  
  
"You'd think I'd at least see some bird Pokémon around here. I mean, I'm not even to the forest yet, and this place is crawling with bugs..." Side-stepping a Spinarak, she made her way slowly down the dirt road. Small bushes and trees lined the road, but nothing big. Viridian Forest was in sight now, but it would still be a good few minutes before she got there. As she was walking, she found herself wondering about Red, and how he was doing.  
  
"... Argh! I don't even care about Red! Little nose-picking egg sucker." She mumbled, her face turning a light shade of red. Then, her face became curious.   
  
"Blue and Yellow... why do those names sound familiar? They shouldn't be hard to forget, I mean, how many people are there named after colors, for Heaven's sake?" She muttered to herself. She seemed to talk to herself a lot...  
  
"Red I've known for a few years... but Blue and Yellow... they sound familiar, but I'm not quite sure where I've heard of them. I don't think we went to school with them?" She placed a finger to her lips and looked upward, thinking. 'We' referring to she and Red. Being as she wasn't paying attention, she didn't notice the apricorn in the road, and promptly tripped over it.   
  
"Wah!" She landed flat on her face, and sat up, holding her nose.  
  
"Stupid apric... things..." She picked it up. This one was green. Slipping it in her bag, she stood, and dusted her front off. With a heavy sigh, she began to walk again. But, as she looked forward, she suddenly got to be in a much better mood. There was the Viridian Forest! She could run the rest of the way, but her knees were a bit sore from the fall, so she walked.   
  
"Hey... now that I think about it, I haven't seen my Pokémon yet!" She stopped, and began to dig through a side pocket on her shoulder bag. She finally found the Pokéball with the leaf emblem on it, and pressed the button, holding it out in front of her.  
  
"Bulba!" The Pokémon appeared in a flash of white light. Green smiled, and kneeled down, reaching a hand out. Bulbasaur sniffed her hand, then gave it an approving lick.  
  
"Wow, Bulbasaur are much cooler looking in real life." Green giggled, and gave its head a little pat. Bulbasaur began to brux, and then Green stood.  
  
"Okay... we better get goin'." She returned Bulbasaur to its Pokéball, and slipped it back into the pocket of her bag. Deciding she could take the pain, Green began to run...  
  
"Yeesh. Viridian Forest sure is... dark." Green wrapped her arms around herself, glancing around. Yes, dark it was... then she stopped, forced a sly grin, and planted her hands on her hips.  
  
"That's why I'm a Pokémon Trainer! Adventure! Danger! And all that other stuff!" And with that, she began a confident stride through the forest. Until something flew down and swiped her hat. She looked around quickly, still not quite sure what had happened.  
  
"Hey... my hat!" She felt the top of her head, and all that was there was hair.  
  
"What the... hey! You!" Green spotted the culprit. She took out her Pokédex.  
  
"Taillow. The Tiny Swallow Pokémon. Taillow are brave little Pokémon of the Flying Type, and are often found trying to pick fights with other Pokémon or Trainers." The feminine voice of the Pokédex told ehr. She nodded, putting it away. Taillow wanted a fight? It had one!  
  
"Bulbasaur!" She threw Bulbasaur's Pokéball, and out it came. Taillow ruffled its feathers up, apparently pleased to have a fight. It dropped Green's hat, and dove at Bulbasaur.  
  
"Uhh... wait, what're Bulbasaur's attacks..." Green took her Pokédex out again and flipped it open, scanning down to Bulbasaur. As she was doing this, Bulbasaur was running in circles, its head being pecked at furiously by Taillow. Finally, she found the page, and put the Pokédex away, then picked up her hat and put it neatly on her head.  
  
"Bulbasaur! Vine Whip!" She called, spreading her legs apart a bit and bracing them. Bulbasaur stopped running, and extended its vines upward, snatching Taillow up. Taillow chirruped in protest, struggling against the vines. Bulbasaur slammed Taillow into the ground, then retracted its vines. Taillow took a minute to recover, but when it did, shot like a lightning bolt at Bulbasaur. 'Quick attack...' Green thought.  
  
"Bulbasaur! Use your Stun Spore attack!" She said, thinking quickly. From Bulbasaur's bulb shot a cloud of yellow powder, and as Taillow zoomed through it, the tiny bird became paralyzed, and fell to the ground. Green reached for an empty Pokéball and drew her hand back.  
  
"You're mine, Taillow!" She called as she threw he arm forward, the Pokéball hitting Taillow squarely in the chest. The tiny Pokémon was sucked inside, and the ball began to rock back and forth, the button of the ball glowing a bright red. Bulbasaur and Green both watched expectantly, both hoping for the tiny Pokémon to be caught. And, sure enough, the ball stopped shaking, and fell silent. Green was quiet a minute longer, then a smile appeared on her face.  
  
"I caught my first Pokémon! Yes!" She squealed with excitement. Bulbasaur bruxed gently, happy at being successful. Green picked up the Pokéball, and returned Bulbasaur to his. She then put her hands behind her head and began walking down the path once more, basking in the afterglow of her first capture. What a way to start a journey!  
  
"Hmm. I hope Taillow is a good Pokémon to start with. What am I saying? Any Pokémon is a good Pokémon to start with!" And with that, she was off and running again.  
  
Before nightfall, she'd made it through the forest. And Viridian City was less than a ten minute walk! She'd made good time. With heavy eyelids, she put her hands behind her head and trudged on. After a few minutes of walking, she could see Viridian City. And it was quite close. She cast her gaze upward, searching the heavens for the north star. And she found it' hovering just above Viridian City. She smiled, and returned her eyes to the road. When she finally reached Viridian City, it was just past seven in the evening. She didn't much remember making it to the PokéCenter, handing her Pokéballs to Nurse Joy, and falling asleep on the couch, but she did. Nurse Joy had covered her up with a shawl, and then closed up for the night.  
  
Green awoke with a yawn, and sat up. She was instantly worried about her hat. But looking down at the ground, she saw her hat laying beside the couch. Good, she thought. At least I'd had the sense to take it off before sleeping. Standing, she stretched, and scratched her navel absently. She wandered off to find the showers, which she found in a back room of the PokéCenter. After taking a long, hot shower and combing her hair, she brushed her teeth. Then, pulling a spare set of clothes from her bag - ironically, the same outfit as the one being washed now - she dressed, putting the hat on last. She all but skipped into the front room.  
  
"Good morning!" Nurse Joy smiled at her. She smiled back, and leaned on the counter.  
  
"G'morning! Did I drop my Pokéballs off with you last night?" She asked candidly.  
  
"You sure did, and your Pokémon are good for the going!" Nurse Joy reached under the counter and pulled a tray out, two Pokéballs sitting in the first two indentions. Green took them, slipped them into her shoulder bag, and thanked Nurse Joy.  
  
"Okay! According to this sign, Indigo Plateau to the left, Pewter City to the right. I believe I'll go to Pewter." She knew talking to herself was a bad sign, but, eh. With newfound determination, or perhaps the determination she had yesterday, she set down along the path to Pewter City, and didn't notice Red Sasuke in the public transportation bus that passed her a few minutes later... 


	3. Chapter 3

Fire Red, Leaf Green  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Green yawned. 'There must be a better way to travel', she thought. And true, walking from town to town, or city, was thoroughly boring, not to mention tiring. And that shoulder bag got pretty heavy after a few hours of walking. She thought about maybe taking a cab from place to place, but she'd run out of money fast, doin' that. The scenery around her now was a flat plain. She'd been walking for about a day now, and the sun was setting fast. Sadly, she'd have to walk all the next day to get to Pewter City, as well.   
  
"I hate all this walking..." She grumbled, and sat down by the side of the dirt road. She hadn't really thought to bring along any kind of camping gear. After all, who'd have thought she'd be caught in this situation, anyway? Well, she probably should have come prepared, anyway.  
  
"Well, I did want adventure. And, well, I guess I got it." She kind of spat that last part. Though it was true she'd wanted adventure, she didn't think it'd require so much... work. When she pictured Pokémon Journey's in her mind, she pictured glory, fun, interesting people... but so far, it just seemed to be a lot of walking. She didn't even see that many interesting wild Pokémon. Just a bunch of Spearow, Taillow, Pidgey, and Rattata. Even the occasional Sentret, or Zigzagoon. But those were all so... common. And she already had a Taillow. So she just clasped her hands behind her head and walked, hoping and praying something interesting happened. Just when she was starting to regret having begun this Journey, thinking about taking a bus home, she got her wish. Something DID happen.  
  
"Hello there young lady!" An older, though certainly not old, man called to her. He was dressed in a white robed, fringed with sky blue, his hair a dirty blonde. She smiled and stopped. He was coming towards her at a leisurely pace. He stopped when he got to her.  
  
"How are you, my child?" He slipped his hands into the sleeve opposite, so that all Green could see of his body was his face. He was a Priest, this one. Probably late twenties, early thirties.  
  
"I'm fine, Father, and yourself?" Green offered a bow to him. She wasn't religious, herself, but had respect for those who were. Besides, she liked to think that if there a god, or gods, they weren't like the one these men preached about. Hyne, the god's name was.  
  
"Hyne has blessed me well, child, thank you for asking. May I ask what you're doing out on this back road by yourself? It's a day's walk to anywhere from here." He smiled.  
  
"I see." He nodded. Green had went through her entire story up to now, starting with the very thing that made her want to be a Pokémon Trainer. Through banter, she learned the man's name was Valentine; he'd instructed her to call him Val for short. She preferred Father Valentine. Of course he'd understood the feeling of needing to show reverence. Green had also learned that he was younger than she'd initially thought. He'd just turned twenty-four, and had only been a Priest for two months.   
  
"Well, child, I'll go with you, then, as far as Pewter City." Father Valentine smiled.  
  
"But, Father, didn't you just come from that way?" She asked, puzzled.  
  
"Yes, my daughter, but I simply couldn't let you travel this lonely road by yourself. Hyne loves children above all others, you know, and says that we followers should protect children every chance we get." Father Valentine smiled at her. She had to admit, he was a nice man, and had a warm smile. Father Valentine motioned forward, towards Pewter City, and they began walking.  
  
"Father, are you sure? I don't want to put you out..." Green was a bit troubled.  
  
"Nonsense, daughter. I can always turn back around again. The exercise is good for me." He smiled at her. She can't believe she didn't notice it before, but he had a Pokéball clipped to either sleeve of his robe. She wanted to ask what Pokémon he had, but she didn't want to seem rude.  
  
"... Father. Are you a Pokémon Trainer?" She asked quietly.  
  
"I don't train much, now that I'm a Priest. I was pretty serious about it in my younger years. But I keep my Pokémon; they're my companions. I've had them for quite a long time, and they've always stuck by me. Would you like to see them?" He stopped. Green nodded. Father Valentine took each Pokéball from the sleeve, and tossed them to the ground gently.  
  
"Ohh! How cute!" Green kneeled down to pat the heads of his Pokémon. He had a Meowth and a Marill. Father Valentine smiled, and bent to retrieve the balls.  
  
"I take it you're close with your Pokémon?" He asked, and returned his to their balls. Green didn't know how to answer this. So she didn't. And they kept walking.  
  
"Wow, it sure got dark fast." Green sat beside the fire Father Valentine had made. He sat on the opposite side from her. They were roasting peeled apples over the fire.  
  
"Yes. Hyne gave us the night so that we may rest. Do you know the story of Hyne, child?" He asked her, turning the apples slowly. Green shook her head without conviction.  
  
"Ah. Then I'll tell you..." He launched into his story...  
  
Long ago, the earth didn't exist. All that was there was Chaos. Chaos was utterly alone, and he was ever so lonely. So after a millenia of being alone, he decided that he wanted a son. And so he had one. His son's name was Order. At first, all was well. Chaos wasn't alone anymore. But Order and Chaos have two very different personalities. One day they got into a terrible argument. They fought and fought, and out of their force was born the Earth, Gaia. Chaos and Order both lusted after Gaia, and Gaia begot them each children. The union of Order and Gaia made Love. The union of Chaos and Gaia made Hate. Love and Hate were entirely new concepts to the three before them. Love and Hate got married, and their twin sons were Life and Death. Life decided to give his grandmother, Gaia, the most beautiful gift of all. He made plants and animals on her surface. Death was angry that Life had such a good gift, and to spite him, but a limit on how long each living thing could remain alive. Life and Death, though brothers, eventually fell in love. And they married. Out of this union begot Hyne. Hyne saw his family, and realized there were two definite sides. A good side, and a bad. The good of the family being Order, Love, and Life. The bad being Chaos, Hate, and Death. And he realized Gaia was at the center of all this. That led him to ask himself what he was. And he realized he was the perfect union of both good and bad, equally balanced - like Gaia. He also realized that out of his family, only he and Gaia had tangible bodies. So he fled to his Great Grandmother's surface to live. He was lonely. His Great Grandmother was old, and wasn't one for conversation. Unlike the others, Hyne and Gaia aged. Though very slowly. Hyne lived alone on his Great Grandmother's surface for a millenia, and he got so lonely, that he decide to create companions. He created two; the very first man and the very first woman. He named them Elijah and Lilith. Elijah and Lilith were good company, but they soon noticed that they were different. Not long after, Lilith gave birth. Hyne was happy. This is what he'd wanted. But as Hyne aged so slowly, time seemed to pass very fast all around him. Lilith and Elijah died, but by the time they did, there were more and more humans. They were multiplying quickly. Soon, there were hundreds. They worshiped Hyne, and he was a fair ruler. One day, the people cried out for excitement. Hyne could think of nothing else but to give them the gift of technology, in the form of the Pokéball. They could now capture and control the animals - Pokémon - that roamed the land. As Pokémon training became more and more popular, the people payed less and less attention and praise to Hyne. So Hyne, offended and saddened, left into Heaven. The people were then susceptible to sickness, accident, and nature without Hyne's protection. The people begged him to come back, but he refused. He did, however, bless those who still praised him. That, dear girl, is the story of Hyne.  
  
Green nodded slowly, as Father Valentine finished the story. She'd never heard the story before. She wouldn't tell Father Valentine, but it just reinforced her disbelief in the religion. After all, that story was rather far-fetched, wasn't it?   
  
"Well... we should probably get some sleep, Father. We've a long walk ahead of us, tomorrow." Green yawned and lay back on the grass.  
  
"Yes, my Daughter. That we do. Sleep well." Father Valentine poured water over the fire, and lay back on the grass as well, looking up at the multitude of stars...  
  
(END CHAPTER 3) 


	4. Chapter 4

Fire Red and Leaf Green  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Ah! Pewter City!" Green smiled as they approached the city limits. The sun was high, and there wasn't a cloud to be seen. As they stepped into the city, Father Valentine stopped. Green turned to look at him, cocking her head inquisitively.  
  
"Father? What's wrong?" She asked, turning her body completely.   
  
"I'll take my leave now, Daughter. I should really head on to Viridian City, now." He bowed deeply to her, smiled, and turned. Green just watched him walk away. She couldn't think of anything to say or do in this situation. She'd only known him about a day and a half... was that enough to consider him a friend? She wasn't sure... but by the time she'd resolved to say something, he was too far down the road to hear her, anyway. She considered sighing, then realized she does that too much these days, and just turned around silently, heading for the PokéCenter. She loved to people watch, and Pewter City was great for that.  
  
"Hello, Nurse Joy!" Green smiled as she entered the PokéCenter.   
  
"Well hello there. What can I do for you today?" Nurse Joy returned the smile as Green approached the desk and put her two Pokéballs on it.   
  
"I haven't battled with them since I left Viridian City, but all the same, I'd appreciate a once-over on them." Green thanked Nurse Joy as she took the Pokéballs into the back room. Green was about to sit on one of the couches in the lobby when she heard a commotion outside. She stood and made her way over to the glass doors, looking out. Officer Jenny was in pursuit of a Pokémon carrying a large bundle on its back. Green hurried outside, and pointed her Pokédex at the Pokémon. 'Sandshrew. The Dirt Mouse Pokémon. Sandshrew burrow deep underground during the day and emerge at night. The only time a Sandshrew will appear during the day is if it is disturbed'. She closed her Pokédex. Officer Jenny and the Sandshrew were too far down the road for her to catch up with now. With the wheels of her brain turning fast, she made her way back into the PokéCenter.  
  
"Oh, wow! This looks delicious!" Green clapped her hands together as the waitress brought her the spicy curry and wasabi she'd ordered, with a mung bean cake dessert. She immediately dug in, but stopped as a young man walked in. He looked rather familiar, but she couldn't place him. He was shaking hands all around, and the people seemed to love him. This just confused her even more. Then she heard his name. 'Jiroo'.   
  
"... Jiroo-sama! He's the Pewter City Gym Leader!" She dug out her 'Pokémon Trainer's Guidebook to Kanto' from the shoulder bag at her side and flipped through it.   
  
"Ah, here it is... 'Jiroo took over as the Pewter City Gym Leader last year when his older brother, Takeshi, began to travel abroad. At first, after Takeshi left, the Gym was closed. But Jiroo opened it up once more.'" She read aloud. Good thing for her that she'd bought the newest printing before leaving Pallet Town. Jiroo sat down at a table, and was ordering. Green contemplated going over and talking to him, but decided against it. She'd see him soon enough when she challenged him at the Gym...  
  
Green yawned as she entered the PokéCenter. She'd went shopping after eating and gotten a new book, some makeup, and a little diary to keep notes of her travels in. She found an empty couch and sat on it, setting her shoulder bag on the ground and taking the notebook and pen out. She began to scribble down her journey thus far, paraphrased, of course. She included the encounter, and capture, of Taillow. Just as she was finishing up her entry, and about to put it all away, she heard a soft scratching noise from somewhere behind her. Which was odd; Nurse Joy had gone to sleep a few hours ago. Green rose slowly, and walked to the desk, and peeked over. There was nothing there. She heard the sound again, and this time realized it was coming from the back room. Even though she knew she probably shouldn't, Green hopped over the counter, and made her way into the back room. There were various Pokémon there, all asleep. It was the Intensive Care Unit.   
  
She made her way further into the room, and saw a small pink bundle going up and down in the corner. She quirked an eyebrow, and moved closer. As she got closer to the pink bundle, she saw that it was attached to a yellowish body. She cleared her throat, and the bundle stopped moving. The Sandshrew stood up from the hole it was digging and looked at Green. It had been attempting to burrow out of the PokéCenter through the wall.  
  
"Hey. What're you doing here?" She asked it. The Sandshrew narrowed its eyes and ran at her. Green was a little taken aback at this, and braced herself foe impact - but the Sandshrew went right under her legs and into the front room, causing quite a racket as it did so. Nurse Joy came out in a hurry just as the Sandshrew broke through the glass door and out into the night. Green vaulted over the counter, grabbed her shoulder bag in passing, and hurried out the door after it.  
  
"Officer Jenny? It's Nurse Joy. Someone just broke out of the PokéCenter, taking medical supplies with it. Yes. A trainer by the name of Green Hikaru just went after the culprit. Do you think it was that Sandshrew? Yes. I understand. Okay, I'll wait here..." Nurse Joy hung up the phone and crossed her arms. She was very uneasy about the whole thing.  
  
"I hope that girl will be okay..." Nurse Joy said quietly to herself.  
  
"Taillow, Quick Attack!" Green called. She was getting tired, fast. She had to run the whole time to keep up with the Sandshrew. Taillow dove from the air and landed a solid hit on the Sandshrew's back, causing it to both falter and drop the bundle, which spilled medical supplies all over. Taillow flew back up into the air, and the Sandshrew turned to face Green angrily. She grinned. 'Alright! A battle!' she thought to herself. 'And I have the upper hand!'.  
  
"Taillow! Use your Wing Attack!" She called out. Taillow flew at the Sandshrew, wing outstretched. Just before Taillow connected, the Sandshrew rolled into a ball and flipped over the bird Pokémon. It continued rolling, and shot up into the air, hitting Taillow and knocking it to the ground. Green was perplexed; she'd never seen an attack like that. She took out her Pokédex and pointed it at the Sandshrew.  
  
"Rollout. A rock-type attack with a high power rating. Very dangerous, and increases in strength over time." The Pokédex said aloud. Green was a bit worried now, as the Sandshrew hadn't unfurled itself yet. Taillow launched back into the air, albeit a little wobbly, just before the Sandshrew would've run over it again. Green thought a moment.  
  
"Try a Leer att-" But before she finished, the Sandshrew shot up into the air and struck Taillow down. As Taillow was falling, Green recalled it to its Pokéball.  
  
"Bulbasaur! Go!" She released Bulbasaur from its Pokéball.  
  
"Bulba!" It cried, and narrowed its eyes at the Sandshrew.  
  
"Alright, Bulbasaur! Vine Whip!" She called. Bulbasaur's vines shot out and wrapped around Sandshrew, but its spinning knocked the vines away. Green's brow furrowed. This was going to be hard. And here it was, shooting right for Bulbasaur.  
  
"... Bulbasaur! Razor Leaf!" She yelled. She remembered seeing the attack at the last Indigo League competition, when she watched it on TV. Bulbasaur let loose a flurry of razor-edges leaves from its bulb, which struck Sandshrew and stopped its rolling. Sandshrew knelt out of pain, and tried to regain its composition.  
  
"Use Tackle, Bulbasaur!" Green put her hands on her hips. Bulbasaur rammed into Sandshrew and it fell back, dazed. Green quickly reached for a Pokéball out of ehr shoulder bag, and threw it. It landed on Sandshrew's belly, and the Pokémon was sucked in.   
  
"Bulbasaur, we did it!" She picked up Sandshrew's Pokéball and put it into her shoulder bag. She kneeled down and rubbed the top of Bulbasaur's head.   
  
"Bulba..." It began to brux. After a moment or two, Green returned it to its Pokéball.  
  
"Very impressive." Green was startled to hear the voice, followed by light clapping. She turned to see Jiroo there. He was grinning.  
  
"Oh. Jiroo-sama." She was a bit confused as to what he was doing there.  
  
"I've been trying to catch that Sandshrew for weeks. I'm surprised you beat me to it. How many badges do you have?" He walked up closer to her.  
  
"Oh, um, none. Yet. I was planning on challenging you tomorrow." She blushed deeply. 'Boy is he cute!' she thought to herself. Jiroo was obviously surprised.  
  
"Well. You handled that very well for someone so inexperienced. I'll clear things up with Officer Jenny, and I'll see you tomorrow." He turned and walked away.  
  
"... Oh boy. What've I gotten myself into?" Green sighed, and began to walk in the opposite direction, toward the PokéCenter.  
  
- End - 


	5. Chapter 5

Fire Red, Leaf Green  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Green stretched and yawned loudly. She picked her hat up slowly and placed it atop her head. She'd spent another night at the Pokémon Center - after all, why leave Pewter City when you're challenging the Leader the next day? She put her shoulder bag on, nodded her head in determination, and headed for the door. As she left, she waved to Nurse Joy.  
  
"Good luck!" Nurse Joy called. Green didn't give any response as the door swung closed behind her. She headed down the street towards the Gym rather slowly, going over the battle in her mind. After all, this is my first Gym battle... heck, it's my first battle with another Trainer period! she thought to herself. The realization that this would be her first real battle kind of scared her a bit. She crossed her arms over her chest as she walked, furrowing her brow.  
  
"Oh, maybe I should ask if Red came by. Or ask about Blue and Yellow... I wish I could remember where I know them from..." She thought aloud.  
  
"Oh well. I guess I should just try to prepare myself mentally for the upcoming battle. Judging by the fact that Jiroo gives out the Boulder Badge, I'm guessing he uses Rock-type Pokémon. Yeah, I'm sure he does - I read it in my Trainer's Guide to Kanto. Bulbasaur will do good, then, as will Sandshrew... providing Sandshrew has any Ground-type attacks besides Sand-attack... oh! Dig! That's right. Oh, Hyne. I'm babbling now." She sighed, her lips quivering. Her nerves were starting to show now. She held her stomach as she walked.  
  
"H-hello?" Green asked tentatively as she pushed open the door to the Gym. Inside was a large battle field with a raised chair, almost like a throne, at the other end. One lone light, in the middle of the ceiling, was supposed to light the entire large room. It didn't do a very good job, but once Green's eyes adjusted, she could see a little better. Jiroo wasn't there, apparently. She was about to turn and leave when a deafening roar filled the air, causing Green to scream. She spun around quickly, just in time to see the Onix coming right at her.  
  
"Stop!" A voice called. Jiroo stepped out from behind the 'throne' at the other end of the room. Onix stopped less than a foot from Green, glaring daggers at her. She almost cried.  
  
"Come back." Jiroo called. The Onix turned and streamed along the ground back towards its master. Green's fright was quickly replaced by anger.  
  
"What the heck were you thinking?!" She yelled, storming forward a few paces.  
  
"I just wanted to see how you'd react." Jiroo chuckled, and recalled Onix to its Pokéball. Green narrowed her eyes. Her fiery spirit was starting to show.   
  
"So, are you ready for your first Gym battle?" Jiroo asked. Green smirked.  
  
"Bring it." She grunted, taking a Pokéball from the front pocket of her bag.  
  
"We'll make this a two-on-two battle. Not a Double Battle, mind you, but we'll both use two Pokémon. Are you ready?" He asked, holding Onix's Pokéball ready.  
  
"Ladies first." She said, releasing Bulbasaur. Jiroo smirked.  
  
"Buuul." Bulbasaur growled, as though he knew that Jiroo was the enemy. Jiroo threw Onix's Pokéball into the air, and it opened, letting a white light pour forth and form into the giant rock snake. Bulbasaur jumped back a little. It'd obviously never seen a large Pokémon such as Onix before. Jiroo pointed at Bulbasaur, and looked at Onix.  
  
"Onix! Bind attack!" He called. Immediately, Onix flung itself at Bulbasaur.  
  
"Bulbasaur, beat it back with your Vine Whip!" Green called, instinctively taking four or five steps back. Bulbasaur's vines shot forward and slapped Onix right in the face, causing it to falter, but not by much. Green was rather surprised. Rock-types were supposed to be weak to Grass-type attacks. Jiroo put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily.  
  
"This Onix was trained by my brother, Takeshi. He was the last Gym Leader here. Your Bulbasaur hasn't seen very many battles, and isn't a high enough level to cause much damage to my Onix. Now, Onix, Bind!" He called. This time, Bulbasaur's vines weren't fast enough to defend him with; he was caught. He cried out in pain, and Green flinched.  
  
"What're you gonna do, Green?" Jiroo asked, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and a smug look on his face. Green sneered back, and took out her Pokédex. Then, realizing it wouldn't do much besides tell her that Onix was a rock type - which she already knew - she put it back. Then an idea came to her; she'd seen the attack used on TV once.  
  
"Bulbasaur, Leech Seed!" She cried. The tip of Bulbasaur's bulb was poking from between Onix's coils, and a seed appeared at the top. It shot straight upwards, catching Onix under the chin, and planted itself, vines coming forth from it and covering Onix's body. After a moment or two hesitation, the vines began to pulsate and glow, sucing energy from Onix, who threw Bulbasaur and began writhing violently in pain.  
  
"No!" Jiroo cried, and returned Onix to its Pokéball.  
  
"Ha! Still wanna make fun of my Bulbasaur?" She said, and both she and Bulbasaur stuck their tongues out at Jiroo. He just laughed and took another Pokéball from his belt.  
  
"Crobat! Let's show them our strength!" He called as the large purple bat emerged from the Pokéball. Green gasped. Crobat wasn't a Rock-type!  
  
"That's cheating! Crobat isn't a Rock-type!" She yelled.  
  
"Where in the rules does it say that all of my Pokémon have to be Rock-types? I have three Pokémon; Onix, Geodude, and Crobat. Two out of three of my Pokémon are Rock-types. As long as the majority of my Pokémon are Rock-type, I'm entirely within my rights to have another type on my team. Now, Crobat - Air Cutter!" He called. Crobat flapped its wings, and a gust of air cut through the Gym and struck Bulbasaur. A splatter of blood hit the ground near Green's foot. She cried out and fell to her knees at Bulbasaur's side.  
  
"Hey! That's not supposed to happen!" Green cried helplessly. Bulbasaur was still alive, of course, but it had a rather large cut on its forehead. It looked up at her, and groaned. She returned Bulbasaur to its Pokéball. Even Jiroo looked concerned. He jogged over.  
  
"Even though your Bulbasaur is so many levels under Crobat, it still should have a high enough defense to keep from being lacerated, even though it's weak to Flying-type attacks. It's at least level twenty, right? I mean, how many battles have you participated in since you got it?" He asked. Green blushed deeply and cleared her throat. Twice.  
  
"This is actually my first real battle." She said quietly. Jiroo just stared at her.  
  
"You're joking, right?" He asked her incredulously. She shook her head.  
  
"... What were you thinking, challenging a Gym after not having been in a real battle?!" He blew up at her. She just kicked at the floor with the tip of her shoe.  
  
"Don't you realize how dangerous that is?! Gyms are for people to test their training skills, not to begin training!" He put a hand on his forehead and looked at the ground.  
  
"Look, I made a mistake, okay?! But I did beat your Onix. Now let's get on with this battle. Sandshrew, I choose you!" Green released Sandshrew from its Pokéball.  
  
"Are you kidding? Ground-types are weak to Flying-types, too!" Jiroo shouted.  
  
"Just get over to your side of the field, I know what I'm doin'!" She yelled right back. Both were red in the face. Jiroo threw his arms up and crossed to his side.  
  
"Well, Crobat, let's give her what she wants. Don't hold back; Bite attack!" Crobat flew at Sandshrew, with incredible speed. Green only had a split second to think.  
  
"Rollout!" She called, squeezing her eyes shut tight. Sandshrew rolled into a ball and shot right under Crobat just in time. Crobat pulled up right before hitting the ground, and circled around. Sandshrew just rolled around the field, at quite a fast pace, too.  
  
"Jump at it, Sandshrew!" Green called. At intervals in its laps around the field, it shot upwards at an arc, striking Crobat. Crobat was fast, but not fast enough.   
  
"... Impressive. But I don't understand why Crobat is being hurt so much..." Jiroo muttered.  
  
"It's because Rollout is a Rock-type attack, which is strong against Flying-types." Just as Green was explaining this, Sandshrew landed another solid blow, and Crobat fell to the ground. Jiroo sighed, and recalled Crobat. Sandshrew unfurled, exhausted, and sat at Green's feet, pouring sweat from every pore. She bent down and picked him up, cradling him.  
  
"Good job, Sandshrew." She nuzzled his nose, and returned him to his Pokéball.  
  
"No, you did a good job. Had I not underestimated you, and focused more, I probably could've won. But you deserve this." Jiroo smiled and handed her the Boulder badge.  
  
"Thank you, Jiroo. Oh, and I was wondering... have any trainers by the names of Red, Blue, and Yellow come by here?" She asked. Jiroo thought for a moment.  
  
"Red did. I don't recall... oh! Yes, Blue and Yellow stopped by, as well. Very fierce at battling, they were. It was kind of scary. But that's all I know of them... sorry." He shrugged.  
  
"No problem. Thanks, Jiroo!"  
  
Green walked quietly, and turned to take one last look at Pewter City. She sighed happily, and looked down at her bag. She lifted the flap and looked at her Badge Case, right on top of her other possessions. She smiled, let the flap drop, and kept walking... 


	6. Chapter 6

Fire Red, Leaf Green  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Green pulled her hat down lower to her head. The sun was blazing hot, even in the loose forest she was traveling in. If you could even consider it a forest. It was more... a plain with a few hundred sparsely placed trees, few and far between. The path was just beginning to slightly turn uphill. She was nearing the general vicinity of Mt. Moon; another ten miles, and she'd be at its base. If her ears could've twitched they would've, for she thought she heard something.  
  
"A brook? Here? Good. I need a drink." She wandered off the beaten path, hands behind her head, sweat pouring down her face. After a few moments, she came upon the brook.   
  
"Yes! Finally!" She fell to her knees beside it, dipped her hand in, and took a drink. She hadn't even pulled her face up when she noticed that, right in front of her, was a blue head, with blue ears, and black eyes looking at her. She screamed and jumped back.  
  
"Marrill mare!" It chirruped happily. She clutched her chest and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Oh... it's just a Marill. Scared the crap outta me..." She muttered.   
  
"Hi there." A male voice said from behind her. She screamed and almost jumped out of her skin.  
  
"Whoa, whoa. Green-chan. It's only me." Familiar blue eyes smiled warmly down at her. She blinked for a moment. Blue eyes... dirty blonde short hair...  
  
"... Father Valentine!" She exclaimed, taken aback. He shook his head slowly.  
  
"It's just Valentine, now. Though I'd prefer you called me 'Val'." She noticed that he wasn't wearing his religious robes. He was instead wearing a pair of corduroy pants, loose - but not baggy - with a white T-shirt tucked into them. Over the T-shirt was a sleeveless black leather vest, with chains crossing over it loosely. Without the heavy collar of his religious robes, she could now clearly see the black tattoo on the right side of his neck, the kanji symbol for 'Faith'. He was carrying a pot, presumably for cooking, and a package of instant ramen noodles.  
  
"Er... what're you doing?" She asked stupidly. He knelt and began gather twigs in a pile.  
  
"Gonna cook some ramen. There's enough for two. Want some?" He asked happily. She just nodded and kneeled down across from him. He began to strike two stones together. After about four minutes, he finally started a small fire. Marill had, by this time, waddled over to them. Green was going to say something, but she was too surprised to see him. He had Marill fill up the pot with water using Water Gun, and then he put the ramen in.  
  
"Er... I guess I have to hold the pot..." He chuckled sheepishly as he held it over the fire.  
  
"So... er... where's your Meowth?" She asked, trying to make conversation.  
  
"... Gone." He said quietly and simply. She didn't want to prod any further.  
  
"I just love beef ramen." Val said, patting his stomach. He sat back and rested against a tree trunk. He seemed happy enough, but this still confused Green greatly. She sat with her knees tucked under her, hands folded in her lap. Val's Marill settled down beside him, obviously deeply contented in itself. Val's hands folded across his navel as he looked up at the sun streaming through the leaves of the tree, playing across the grass and dancing off the water of the nearby stream. Green's eyes flitted across their poor little excuse for a campsite. In another hour and a half or so, it'd be dark. She decided to venture a conversation.  
  
"So... where're you headed?" She asked, trying to settle down into a more comfortable position. He didn't seem to hear her at first, and then he cocked his head slightly, as if he'd not given it any thought whatsoever. Marill had already fallen asleep.   
  
"Well. I'm not really sure." He said with a kind of finality. Green rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well, I'm headed for Cerulean City, though I guess I should wait for the morning to set out. You could... come with me, if you'd like." She coughed quietly, her cheeks flushing red.  
  
"... I'd like that." He smiled at her. She smiled back.  
  
Night had fallen, and Green was asleep. She lay with her back to the fire, curled up with her shoulder bag. Val was sitting cross-legged on the opposite side of the fire, looking up at the sky. He'd since returned Marill to its Pokéball. In the distance, a few Hoothoot could be heard, as well as the rustling of a group of Rattata, or some other small Pokémon. He contemplated sighing, but decided against it. Absently, a hand reached up to rub the tattoo on his neck. A strange looked crossed over his face... one of both sadness and anger. But it quickly subsided, and he decided to get some sleep. He had just settled into a comfortable position stretched out on the ground when he heard a roar. It seemed far enough off, but the ferocity and anger of the sound made his blood turn to ice. He sat up quickly, and he noticed Green was stirring. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes, and looking about.  
  
"I was jus getting asleep, too." She yawned, and stretched her arms.  
  
"What was that noise, Val?" She asked. He was about to tell her that he didn't know when the sound came again, closer this time. They both stood hurriedly, prepared to run.  
  
"... Val! Look!" Green's voice trembled and she took a step back, pointing up towards the sky. He stared in shock. A magnificent dragon was flying through the air, lower than a plane, but high enough that they didn't feel the back-draft of its flight.   
  
"... Hyne?" Val whispered. Green dug frantically in her shoulder bag and produced her Pokédex. She pointed it at the dragon. It took a moment for the Pokédex to identify it.  
  
"Rayquaza. The Sky Dragon Pokémon. Rayquaza is said to live in the uppermost layer of the planet's atmosphere, and can control the weather at will. Many experts believe it to be nothing more than a myth, as it has rarely been seen, and never videotaped or photographed, as well as how harsh the conditions in the upper atmosphere are." It said in its monotonous voice. Green put the Pokédex away. Rayquaza was directly over their heads, maybe seven hundred or so feet above them, when it shot straight upwards into the sky, and vanishing into the clouds.  
  
"... Oh my God. We just witnessed a Legendary Pokémon!" She was ecstatic now, with both joy and fright. After all, Rayquaza was an impressive sight to behold.  
  
"... Well... what do we do now?" Val asked, turning to look at her.  
  
"... I guess we should probably sleep. But, I mean, how can we sleep at a time like this?! But we really should. We have to get through Mt. Moon to get to Cerulean City. I can contact Professor Oak from there and tell him what we saw." She sat down rather reluctantly, staring up at the sky, hoping for another glimpse. Val sat down as well, leaning his back against the trunk of a tree. He, too, searched the skies. After a few minutes however, his eyes began to droop. And he was asleep.  
  
Green yawned as she stood up. She stretched her arms and legs, scratched her head, and picked her hat up from off the ground. She put it on her head, and looked around. Val was already up, kneeling next to the brook, dipping his hand in and getting a drink. She was still reveling in the events of the night before. Rayquaza! A Legendary Pokémon rarely even see, and she saw it! A smiled played itself across her lips, as she slipped on her shoulder bag.   
  
"Val? Ready to go?" She asked. He stood and looked at her, pocketing his hands.  
  
"Yep. Off to Mt. Moon!" He motioned for her to lead the way.  
  
"Actually, if we follow the brook, we'll get to Mt. Moon faster than if we followed the beaten path." He added. She nodded, and began walking along the brook's edge. He walked a little behind and to the left of her, thumbs in the waistband of his pants.   
  
They'd been walking for a few minutes when Green spotted a face sticking out of the water. She stopped, and knelt down. It didn't frighten her, because it was sort of a blank, unintelligent looking face. Val kneeled beside her.  
  
"It's a Magikarp." He noted. She sighed and stood up.  
  
"I've never seen one in person before, but I've heard stories about how useless they are." She began to walk again, and Val followed. But she didn't get more than three steps when she tripped over an apricorn in the grass. She fell face-forward, and a Pokéball popped out from her bag, falling right onto the Magikarp's head.  
  
"Ah! No!" Green cried as she saw what had happened. Magikarp was sucked inside the ball, which began to float lazily down the brook, before getting caught between two large rocks jutting out of the water. It stopped vibrating, signaling that Magikarp was caught.  
  
"... Wow. That sucks." Val said cheerily, grinning. Green shot him a nasty look. She reached out into the brook and retrieved the Pokéball.  
  
"... Crap." She dried it off on her shirt, quite obviously annoyed, and put it with the rest of her Pokémon. They continued on, Val obviously amused, and Green in a rather bad mood. 


	7. Chapter 7

Fire Red, Leaf Green

Chapter 7

"... So, can I ask why you're not wearing your robes?" Green finally ventured to ask, looking over to him. He'd finally gotten comfortable with walking next to her, instead of behind her. He was silent for a few minutes, a contemplative look crossing his face.

"I discovered some things about the church that I really didn't approve of. And to be sure, it wasn't the entire church. Most priests and hardly any of the normal masses knew. They tried to 'initiate' me into the higher ranks. And... I didn't approve of their beliefs or methods." And then he fell silent. She decided not to probe any farther, as this was the most she'd gotten him to say about it in a while. Green glanced down at her watch. By her calculations, they should arrive at Mt. Moon in under ten minutes. They could already see the mountain clearly, and the sun was shining down warmly - though it wasn't hot.

"You know, Val, you look a lot younger without your robes. How old are you?" She asked. And it was true. Maybe it was because she always pictured old people as Priests, but he looked much younger now. He smiled at her and chuckled.

"I'm twenty-two." He answered simply. Green was taken aback.

"I feel so embarrassed. I assumed you were close to thirty." She chuckled sheepishly. Val got a good laugh out of that. They walked on the rest of the way in silence, just enjoying the quiet scenery and the gentle rushing of the brook beside them. The ground they were walking on was starting to slant uphill, meaning it was getting harder to keep up a steady pace.

"Well, we're here... but shouldn't there be a cave that goes through it somewhere?" Green asked. Val thought for a moment. He wasn't **too **familiar with the area.

"Oh! We should move over to the beaten path, now. The path leads to the cave entrance." He said, and then changed direction. Green followed. Within a few minutes, they were walking along the dirt path, up towards the mouth of the cave.

"... Something's wrong." Val said, stopping suddenly. Green stopped, as well.

"What is it, Val?" She asked, looking between him and the cave.

"There are lights in the cave... Mt. Moon is dark inside, and without the darkness, certain kinds of Pokémon living in the cave will be confused and otherwise badly affected..." He mumbled. Green happened to catch all of it, though, and headed for the cave at a jogging pace. Val was right behind her, and they reached the entrance of the cave at about the same time. And what they found there surprised both of them greatly. Set up directly outside the mouth of the cave was a team of Scientists. There were about twenty of them, doing various tasks on the machines they had set up all over. Val was the first to break the awe-struck silence shared by the two.

"Um, excuse me... somebody? Who's in charge here?" He called. Most of the scientists turned to look at him for a moment, and then most went back to work. A young woman - probably in her early thirties, came up to them with a gentle smile - although obviously forced.

"I'm Doctor Frahn, and I'm in charge here. Can I help you?" She asked.

"Yeah. What're you doin' here? With those lights in the cave?!" Val about jumped out of his skin when he saw that they had lights strung up in the cave.

"We're doing a study on the Moon Stone. This isn't a place for kids to be playing. If you're en route to Cerulean City, you'll have to go around the mountain. It'll only delay you for about a day. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." She was anything BUT sorry. And it was apparent.

"... Okay." Green said after a slight pause, and turned to walk away.

"What? No!" Val grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"What the?! What's wrong with you? C'mon, let's get going." Green protested.

"Ma'am, I cannot, in good heart, let you keep those lights up in the cave!" Val stated firmly as she turned to walk away. She stopped abruptly, but didn't turn around.

"... Ooo. You're in trouble now." Green muttered.

"You cannot LET me? I have a permit from the Cerulean City police that says I have every right to be here. Now I'd appreciate it if you'd move along." Doctor Frahn had risen her voice slightly. Val looked troubled, but determined to stand his ground.

"Is there a problem, Doctor?" A silky voice called. Green and Val both looked past Doctor Frahn. Val uttered a cry of distress, and he turned pale. The voice belonged to a girl who could be no older than Val herself. She was dressed quite oddly. Her fiery red hair was pulled into a long, thick braid that fell to the backs of her knees. Two tresses of silky, shiny hair fell down either side of her face. She was a beautiful girl... but her clothes were, less than attractive. She wore a pair of dark green khaki pants, the left pant-leg ripped off from the knee down. She also wore a white men's Oxford shirt with blue pin-stripes, which she ripped the sleeves off of. Covering her arms was a pair of black baseball socks that she'd cut the ends of, so that her hands could fit through. To top it all off, she wore a pair of black-and-white Chucks on her feet. She stood, one arm crossing over her chest with her other elbow propped up on it, hand on her chin. Her crimson lips pursed into a smile.

"Something we could help you with?" A deeper, yet just as silky male voice asked. He stood next to her, and he too was dressed... interestingly. A pair of black jeans with green stitching, two times his size, was held up by a white leather belt, studded with silver pyramids. Various chains crossed over the pants, some almost dragging the ground. He, too, wore a pair of black-and-white Chucks on his feet. His shirt, unlike his pants, seemed to be a size too SMALL. But he was flat-stomached and tone-chested, so it wasn't an unpleasant sight. His shirt was black as well, also with the green stitching. The short sleeves gave way to white-and-green striped long sleeves, which were actually stitched into the sleeves of the T-shirt, giving it the appearance that he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt under the short-sleeved shirt. His lips were shiny with black lipstick, his penetrating blue eyes defined by black eyeliner. Around his neck was a black leather choker with silver spikes. His fingernails also sported a coat of black. His hair was cut short, and was black with lime green highlights. The one thing they both had in common was a pin on the far-left of their chest, under their shoulders. It was a polished white, and depicted a cross with small angel wings. Green raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong, Val?" She asked. He looked as if he might puke.

"You... you're... you're Paladins!" He cried in a choked voice.

"Very good. But how would you know?" The girl with the red hair raised an eyebrow in amused confusion. Dr. Frahn just shook her head and turned to walk away, going about her business. The two 'Paladins' approached Val and Green... though Val moreso than Green.

"My name is Risa Daishi, Paladin of the Third Class." She extended her hand. He shook it reluctantly, and introduced himself as 'Valentine Wheeler'.

"And my name is Gekko Wakana. I'm also a Paladin of the Third Class. Is there something we can do for you?" He asked. He didn't seem as amused as Risa did.

"Yeah, You can get your lights out of the cave. Wasn't hat what you wanted, Val?" Green showed little to no interest in what was going on, but seeing as Val apparently wasn't going to answer, she decided to answer for him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm afraid we can't do that. We're busy here. Good day." Risa answered sweetly, and then they both turned away. Val swallowed hard, and grabbed her shoulder.

"I am Father Valentine Wheeler, Class One Priest of Hyne, candidate for Paladin of the Fourth Class." He managed to get out, before taking his hand from her shoulder.

"... You're the Priest from Lavender Town." Gekko said with a tone that Green didn't much like. Risa narrowed her eyes; but she clearly wasn't amused.

"You're the backslider, who denounced the Faith." She muttered, taking a Pokéball from her pocket. She held it menacingly in front of her, pointed at Val.

"You. We're supposed to take you down if we find you." She smirked, again amused, but in a sickening sort of way. Green was getting a bit nervous, now.

"Now... prepare to die!" Gekko took out a Pokéball, as well. Almost by instinct, Val produced his own Pokéball. Green knew he only had one Pokémon to their two. So she stepped up beside him, taking out her own Pokéball.

"If you're going after him, you'll have to go through me, as well. One-on-two battles are prohibited, unless one Pokémon faints amid a Double Battle. So let's play by the rules, shall we? A Double Battle - you two versus us!" Green challenged. Truth was, she was quite nervous. After what had happened in the battle with Jiroo, she was concerned for her Pokémons' safety. But she couldn't just let Val face them alone... right?


End file.
